Agenda item

To receive and consider a report from the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement), which outlines the new approach to performance reporting and accountability.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement) submitted a report on the Quarter 1 performance indicators for Central and Corporate Functions and containing proposals for a new reporting format in future, combining the Council Business Plan performance indicators report with the quarterly financial performance monitoring report. The Board also considered the Director of Resources’ Quarter 1 Financial Health Monitoring Report, first submitted to the Executive Board on 2^nd September 2008.

Steve Clough, Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement, and Doug Meeson, Chief Officer (Financial Management) attended the meeting and responded to Members’ queries and comments.  In brief summary, the main points of discussion were:-

·  Reference was made to Appendix 1, the ‘Corporate Balanced Scorecard 2008/09’, and some areas shown as ‘red circles’, indicating that targets were unlikely to be met. It was explained that these fell outside the remit of the Scrutiny Board (Central and Corporate), within the Cultural and Health and Wellbeing indicators. Nonetheless, Steve Clough undertook to e-mail details to Members.  He also undertook to let Members have further details of the definitions of various performance indicators – BP-08, BP-09 and BP-11 – and to review the wording to see if their meaning could be made more immediately apparent;

·  Steve Clough also undertook to provide the Board with details of the Council’s official partner organisations, such as the Police, health authority etc, and to also let Members have a service by service breakdown relating to customer service queries, and how quickly issues were resolved, often on a first point of contact basis via the Contact Centre;

·  The effect of the current economic downturn on the Council’s investments, and the ability of the Council’s Business Plan to adapt to changing circumstances to enable targets and priorities to be met. Doug Meeson undertook to amend the reporting format to include in future an update regarding the effects on the Council’s capital programme.  Productivity targets were built into the system, from chief officer down to team leader level, and the performance of individual members of staff could also often be measured.  Management accounting principles were also practiced;

·  Further to Minute No 11, 7^th July 2008, the question of the levels  of reserves held by schools and ALMOs, and their utilisation by the Council, together with the legal and constitutional relationships between the Council and the ALMOs and Education Leeds, was once again raised. It was agreed that the Working Group on this issue previously mooted should proceed, the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development to make appropriate arrangements;

·  The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development undertook to co-ordinate and circulate a response to queries relating to outside placement costs, direct payments and polling costs (Paragraphs 3.1.5, 3.1.6 and 3.1.8 of Appendix 4 refer).

RESOLVED –

(a)  That subject to the above comments, the report be received and  noted, and Steve Clough and Doug Meeson be thanked for their attendance and the manner in which they have responded to Members queries and comments.

(b)  That approval be given to the proposed new reporting arrangements, on the understanding that these can be subject to review if necessary at a later date.

(NB: 1 Councillor Wadsworth left the meeting at 10.44 am during consideration of this item;

  2Councillor Lowe declared a personal interest in this item in her capacity as a Director of Leeds West North West Homes ALMO).